Boat mooring apparatus



Dec. 20, 1960 D. A. WALLACE BOAT MOORING APPARATUS 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 16, 1957 INVENTOR. ,UdI Z; 6. 14 4/7466 Mai Dec. 20, 1960 D. A. WALLACE 2,965,064

BOAT MOORING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 16, 1957 s Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

E E. jayzjfi. 14 42/46:! WJM i Dec. 20, 1960 D. A.YWALLACE BOAT MOORING APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Aug. 16, 1957 INVENTOR. Jay?! 7 l l affdce.

BY MIX BOAT MOORIN G APPARATUS David A. Wallace, 100 Lewiston Road, Grosse Pointe Farms, Mich.

Filed Aug. 16, 1957, Ser. No. 678,583

12 Claims. (Cl. 114-230) This invention relates to improved boat mooring apparatus.

More particularly, the invention pertains to improvements in boat mooring apparatus of the type shown in John P. Jorgenson application for United States Letters Patent Serial Number 475,990, filed December 17, 1954, now US. Patent No. 2,845,892.

The foregoing patent application comprises vertical extending dock mounted cables or the like with which boat mounted coupling units are adapted to cooperate in mooring a boat.

One of the main objects of my invention is to provide improved dock mounted mooring members in mooring apparatus of this kind.

Another object of this invention is to provide dock mounted mooring members that are sufiiciently, resiliently yieldable in all directions in a horizontal plane to effectively cushion movement of a boat moored thereto in any such directions.

A further object of this invention is to provide dock mounted mooring members of .this kind whichmay be attached at one end only to a dock or associated structure.

Another object of the invention is to provide separable socket type mounting bracket and-resilient arm elements in dock mounted mooring members which may be conveniently relatively oriented to accommodate boats of different lengths, and stowage of the arm elements in out of the way positions as well as limited selection of the spaces along a dock in which boats may be moored.

A still further object of the invention is to provide resilient arm elements in dock mounted mooring members which may be secured to a dock or associated structure at only one end portion and so located with respect to the level of the adjacent body of water as to accommodate raising and lowering of the boat due to water level changes.

Other objects of the invention are to provide simple and sightly arm and bracket assemblies indock mounted mooring members of this type which provide convenient and rigid hand grips for assisting in boarding and embarking from a boat; to provide resilient arms of this type which may be economically formed from stock of standard section and heat treated to required spring characteristics; to provide resilient arms of this type which have reversely bent portions that are adapted toundergo both torsional and lateral deflection in cushioning' and arresting movements of a boat at its moorings; and to provide resilient arms of this kind in mooring apparatus which include laterally spaced sections connected by a reversely bent common section that may be disposed either upwardly or downwardly as required to bring the free end portion-f one of the'spaced sections into a desiredlocation with respect to a boat.

Additionalobjects of the invention are to provide improvedcouplingboat mounted units in mooring apparatus of' this character, to provide a snap actingelement in couplingunits' of this kind which may be readily coupled with and disconnected from a dock mounted mooring member of the foregoing type; to provide spring means for normally yieldably retaining the snap acting element of such coupling units in outwardly projecting relationship to a boat; to provide spring means of this kind which is adapted to return said snap acting element to an outwardly extending position when it is displaced in respectively opposite directions from said outwardly extending position; and to provide means in a coupling unit of this kind for holding said snap acting member adjacent the boat and substantially parallel to the side thereof when said unit is not in use.

Additional objects of the invention are to provide a resiliently yieldable support for shiftably adjustably receiving a plurality of dock mounted mooring member that may be selectively positioned along an extended, commercial type dock in order to economically allocate spaces along the dock for mooring boats of dilferent lengths; and to provide reversible socket elements in selectively shiftable dock mounted mooring members of this kind that can be oriented to receive a resilient arm element and have an upwardly or a downwardly projecting free end section.

Illustrative embodiments of the invention are shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a boat moored at a dock by mooring apparatus embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged, fragmentary vertical sectional view taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken on line 33 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectionalview taken on line 55 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a vertical view, similar to Fig. 2, but showing a modified form of the invention.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view taken on line 77 of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a vertical front side elevational view of a dock showing mooring apparatus embodying a further modification of the invention.

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view taken on line 9-9 of Fig. 8.

Fig. 10 is a vertical sectional view taken on line lt10 of Fig. 8.

In the form of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1 to 5, inclusive, the improved boat mooring apparatus includes a dock mounted unit which preferably comprises a metal bracket generally designated by the numeral 10 having upper and lower integral clamp elements 11 and 12, respectively. Removable clamping elements 13 and 14 are secured to the upper and lower clamping elements 11 and 12, respectively, by bolts 15. In the drawings, the clamping elements are illustrated as being of substantially complementary arcuate shape so as to receive a cylindrical spile, post or metal pipe 16 which is located adjacent a dock 17. These clamping elements may be of any contour required to fit upon a desired support and bracket and may be selectively positioned vertically upon post 16.

The upper clamping element 11 of the bracket 10 is provided with a socket po rtion 18 having a cylindrical bore 19, and the lower clamping'element 12 is provided with a socket portion Zllhaving a splined passage 21 axially aligned with the cylindrical bore 19. The socket portions 18 and 20 are integrally connected together by a rib 19' which extends vertically between them.

As illustrated in Fig. 1, there is a pair of stationary moor-ing units each comprising abracket 10, arranged along the side of the dock 17 for mooring a boat 22.

Mounted in each bracket'lil is an inverted U-shaped' mooring arm, generally designated by the numeral 23,

formed of resilient spring steel having suitable properties for accommodating return to its original shape and condition following substantially severe deflection. Each mooring arm includes vertical sections 24 and 25 which are connected and held in laterally spaced relation by a U-shapcd, reversely bent portion 26. The vertical section 25 of each mooring arm 23 is received in the socket elements 18 and 20 of the respective brackets 10. The lower end portion of the vertical section 25 of each arm is provided with splines 27 which fit into the splined passage 21 of the lower socket element 20. The splines 27 and grooves of the splined passages 21 are uniformly spaced circumferentially about the lower end portion of the vertical sections 25 of the arm 23 so as to accommodate selective positioning of the mooring arms 23 relative to the brackets 10, as illustrated by the dot and dash lines 70 in Fig. 3. The mounted vertical sections 25 of each mooring arm is provided with a collar 28 which has a set screw 29) for securing it in a selected vertical position, such that the splined end of the section 25 is held in a fixed position in the splined passage 21 of its socket element 20. The vertical section 24 of the arm 10 is free to deflect in all horizontal directions in order to cushion any tendency of the boat 22 to move at its moorings. When utilizing the arms 23 to moor a large and heavy boat, defiective movement of the lower free end of the vertical section 24- of the arm 23 may be limited by a chain 30 secured at one end to the lower end portion of the section 24 and at its opposite end to the socket element 20.

Mounted on the side of the hull of the boat 22 is a pair of releaseable coupling units generally designated by the numeral 31. Each coupling unit 31 comprises a base 32 which is fixed by bolts 33 to the side of the hull of the boat 22, as illustrated in Fig. 3. The base 32 of each coupling unit 31 is of channel shape and includes vertically spaced and aligned horizontally extending flanges 34 which are provided with apertures for receiving a vertically disposed pivot element 35. The ends of the pivot element 35 are fixed in the apertures of the flanges 34 by pins 36.

Journalled on the pivot element 35 of each coupling unit is a coupling arm 37 having a forked inner end 38 adjacent the boat and a hooked outer end 39 for coupling with the section 24 of one of the mooring arms 23. The extremities 40 of the branches of the forked end of the coupling arm 37 are provided with apertures for receiving the pivot element 35. Each coupling arm 37 is yieldably held in an extended position substantially normal to the length of the boat 22 by oppositely coiled springs 41 and 42 having their outer end portions seated in apertures formed in the extremities 40 of the branches of the forked end of the coupling arm 37 and having their adjacent end portions seated in apertures formed in the pivot element 35, as illustrated in Fig. 2. A releaseable latch element 43 pivotally mounted at 44 on the coupling arm 37 serves to close the entrance to the hooked end portions 39 of the coupling arm 37. This latch element 43 is yieldably urged toward its locked or closed position by a spring 45 which bears between the latch element and the coupling arm 37 clockwise by movement of the latch element 43 about its pivot 44 to an open position and can be produced by a pull cord 46 which is attached to an car 47 on the latch element 43. The hooked outer end 39 of the arm 37 and the spring pressed latch element 43 together form a snap acting connecting element which can be automatically latched in coupled relationship with the section 34 of one of the mooring arms 23. The cord 46 may also be used as a retaining member to fasten the coupling arm 37 against the action of the springs 41 and 42, along side the hull of the boat 22, as illustrated in dot and dash lines in Fig. 3, when coupling arm 37 is not in use. When the latch is in closed position 48, its outer free end portion bears against the inner side of the hooked end portion 39 of the coupling arm 37 in such a way as to prevent counterclockwise movement of the latch element 43 about its pivot so as to hold the mooring arm 23 against unintended disengagement from the hooked end 39 of the coupling arm 37. Intended disengagement of the mooring arm 23 from the hooked end 39 of the coupling arm may be effected by rotating the latch element 43 to its open position and so maneuvering the boat while the latch element is held in open position as to separate the mooring arm 23 from the coupling arm 43. In mooring the boat 22 along side a dock 17, it is merely necessary to propel the boat forwardly in a course parallel to the dock, while the coupling arms 37 are in their extended positions. When any portion of the outer section 24 of the mooring arm 23 engages the coupling arm, it is guided into engagement with the latch element 43 which is ultimately rotated about its pivot 44 until the outer section 24 of the mooring arm 23 is finally trapped in the hooked end 39 of the coupling element. It is not necessary to simultaneously engage the outer sections 24 of both mooring arms in their respective hooked ends 39 of the coupling arms 37 for after either one of the mooring arms 23 is latched in the book of its proper coupling arm, the boat may be easily maneuvered so as to connect the other mooring arm 23 with its proper coupling arm 37.

In the form of the invention shown in Figs. 6 and 7 the dock mounted mooring unit is generally similar to that shown in Figs. 1 to 5, inclusive, except that the re silient metal U-shaped mooring arm 23 is disposed in an upright position, as shown in Fig. 6 and the free side section 24 of the U-shaped arm extends upwardly beyond its other side section 25'. The bracket 10" of the dock mounted mooring unit shown in Figs. 6 and 7 is also similar to the bracket 10 of the form of the invention shown in Figs. 1 to 5, inclusive. In this form the bracket is secured to a post or spile 16 by clamping elements 11', 12', 13, and 14' with which bolts 15 cooperate. The lower socket element 20' of the bracket 10 is provided with a cylindrical bore 19' in which the side section 25' is received. The upper socket element 18 is provided with a splined passage 21' coaxial with the bore 19' of the lower socket element 20'. Feathered splines 27' are provided on the upper end portion of the side section 25' of the U-shaped mooring arm 23'. The splines 27' and the ways of the splined passage 21' are uniformly arranged so that the outer side section 24 of the mooring arm 23' may be selectively positioned angularly about the axis of its side section 25' by merely lifting the mooring arm 23' in its socket elements 18 and 20 and tuming it to a desired position and thus allowing the mooring arm to descend so as to engage the splines 27' in the selected Ways of the splined passage 21'. A nut 28' threaded on the end of the side section 25' holds the arm 23' against downward separatory movement from the bracket 10. In this form of the invention, the coupling arm 37 connects with the outer side sections 24 of the mooring arms in exactly the same manner as set forth in the description of Figs. 1 to 5, inclusive. A chain similar to the chain 30 shown in Fig. 2, may be used to limit deflection of the upwardly extending side section 24' of the mooring arm 23', if desired.

In the form of the invention shown in Figs. 8 to 10, inclusive, my improved mooring apparatus includes an elongated steel bar 50 of rectangular cross section, as illustrated in Fig. 10, which is extended horizontally along a clock 51, or other equivalent structure. The bar 50 is preferably secured by bolts 52 to the outer side of posts or spiles 53, which are located along the front side of the dock 51. The bar 50 may be continuous and integral throu hout its entire length or it may be made up of sections arranged in end to end relationship in which case the ends of the adiacent sections may be secured to the same spile or post 53 by respective bolts 52, as illustrated at the left end of Fig. 8. The spiles or posts 53 may be driven into the bed of the body of water adjacent which the dock 51 is located, or they may be mounted directly on the dock.

Spaced pairs of dock mountedrnooring units, generally designated by the numeral 54; are provided. along the dock 51 and rail 50 in an arrangement to accommodate mooring of a' plurality of boats .of different sizes. Each mooring unit 54 include a bracket 55, having a main body portion 56 provided with vertically spaced upper and lower socket elements57 and 58, respectively. The upper socket element 57 has a cylindrical bore 59 and the lower socket element 58 has a splined passage 60. An inverted U-shaped mooring arm 61 is mounted in the socket elements of each bracket 55 and is provided with a splined end 62 which may be selective-1y fitted in the splined passage 60 in the same manner as set forth in the description of Figs. 1 to 5, inclusive. The mooring arm 61 may be held against inward movement relative to the bracket 55 by a collar 63.

The main body portions 56 of the brackets 55 may be releasably clamped to the bar 50 at selected positions by a clamping bar 64, disposed on the side of the bar 50 opposite from each bracket '55, respectively. Bolts 65 firmly, releasably clamp the bar 50 between opposite brackets and clamping bars 55 and 64, respectively. By releasing the bolts 65 and shifting the brackets 55 a ong the bar 59 and then retightening the bolts, the mooring units 54 may be selectively fixed in diverse postions for accommodating mooring of boats of different lengths along a dock.

If desired, the brackets 55 may be constructed as shown in Figs. 6 and 7 and upright mooring arms corresponding to'those shown in Figs. 6 and'7 may be employed in the mooring assembly shown in Figs. 8 to 10, inclusive.

In all forms of the invention the mooring arms are made of resilient steel, such as spring steel, and they are conditioned by suitable treatment to withstand substantial deflection in all horizontal directions without taking a set. The free ends of the arms with which the boat mounted coupling elements connect are free to undergo substantial deflection without taking a permanent set and thus the mooring apparatus cushions all tendency of the boat to move at its mooring. The arms, in all forms of the invention, with which the boat mounted coupling elements connect are of such lengths and so positioned with respect to the maximum and minimum water level or tide level as to register with the coupling elements under all normal conditions of water level. The boat mounted coupling elements are free to shift up and down with the water level at the dock. In all forms of the invention the boat mounted coupling elements can be connected with and disconnected from the dock mounted mooring arms as described in connection with Figs. 1 to 5, inclusive.

While I have illustrated and described several embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that such is for the purpose of illustration only, and it is contemplated that those skil ed in the art may modify certain details without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as defined in the claims appended'hereto.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for mooring a boat in a body of water and at a dock including a dock mounted mooring member comprising a stationary socket element and a spring metal arm element having a first portion protruding outwardly from said dock and a generally vertical second portion integral with said first portion and free at one end for resilient deflection in horizontal directions, coacting means on said socket element and the other end of said arm element respectively for retaining said arm element against pivoting and in a selected one of a plurality of positions, and a coupling member mounted on the side of said boat, said coupling member having a hook element provided with an opening in its lateral side and being releasably engageable with said vertical second portion of said arm element by horizontal movement of said coupling member relative to said arm.

2. In apparatus for mooring a boat at a dock, a moor-v ing member including a socket element securable to'a structure associated with a dock, a spring metal arm element having first and second laterally spaced sections and a reversely bent connecting section, all of said sections of said arm being rigidly associated with each other whereby to.accommodate relative movement of said sections only by deflection of the metal of said arm said first section being receivable in said socket element and said second section having a relatively free end portion, and coacting means on said socket element and said first arm section for opposing pivotal movement of and for selectively positioning said arm element in a plurality of different positions respectively.

'3. In boat mooring apparatus having a dock mounted mooring member, a boat mounted coupling member comprising a bracket for attachment to.a boat, a snap acting connecting element detachably engageable with said dock mounted mooring member, means pivotally supporting said connecting element on said bracket for swinging movement about a substantially vertical axis by boat movement produced coupling action of said mooring and coupling members, and spring means acting upon said connecting element for yieldably holding the latter in outwardly extending relationship with respect to the side of a boat and for cushioning said boat movement produced coupling action.

4. In boat mooring apparatus having a dock mounted mooring member, a boat mounted coupling member comprising a bracket for attachment to a boat, a snap acting connecting element detachably engageable with said dock mounted mooring member, means pivotally supporting said connecting element on said bracket for swinging movement about a substantially vertical axis by boat movement produced coupling action .of said mooring and coupling members, and spring means acting upon said connecting element for yieldably holding the latter in outwardly extending relationship with respect to the side of a boat and for cushioning said boat movement produced coupling action, said connecting element comprising a hook portion having an opening at one side for receiving said dock mounted mooring member, a closure element for said open side, and resilient means for yieldably holding said closure element in restricting relationship with respect to said open side of said hook portion and a control member attached to said closure element and extending to a position remote from said closure element for shifting the latter to an open position.

5. In boat mooring apparatus having a dock mounted mooring member, a boat mounted coupling member comprising a bracket for attachment to a boat, a snap acting connecting element detachably engageable with said dock mounted mooring member, means pivotally supporting said connecting element on said bracket for swinging movement about a substantially vertical axis by boat movement produced coupling action of said mooring and coupling members, spring means acting upon said connecting element for yieldably holding the latter in outwardly extending relationship with respect to the side of a boat and for cushioning said boat movement produced coupling action, and a retaining member connected to the outer end portion of said bracket and extending toward the adjacent side of said boat for holding said bracket against the action of said spring means in nested position along said side of said boat when not in use.

6. Apparatus for mooring boats having coupling members therein lengthwise of an elongated dock having spaced spiles arranged along the length of said dock, ineluding a resiliently yieldable horizontal metal bar fixed to the sides of said spiles remote from said dock, a plurality of brackets longitudinally adjustably shiftably mounted on said horizontal metal bar including means for clamping them to said metal bar in selected positions, each of said brackets including a socket element, and substantially U-shaped resilient metal mooring arms each having one leg engaged in said sockets of said brackets and each having a second leg located outwardly in spaced relation to said dock for interlocking engagement with the coupling members of said boats.

7. Apparatus for mooring boats having coupling members therein lengthwise of an elongated dock having spaced spiles arranged along the length of said dock, including a resiliently yieldable horizontal metal bar fixed to the sides of said spiles remote from said dock, a plurality of brackets longitudinally adjustably shiftably mounted on said horizontal metal bar including means for clamping them to said metal bar in selected positions, each of said brackets including a socket element, and reversely bent resilient metal mooring arms each having one leg removably engaged at one end in said socket elements and each having a second leg located outwardly in spaced relation to said dock for interlocked engagement with the coupling members of said boats, said sockets and the legs of said mooring arms received therein having coacting elements for holding said bars against rotation with respect to said sockets and in a selected position.

8. Apparatus for mooring boats having coupling members thereon lengthwise of an elongated dock having spaced spiles arranged along the length of said dock, including a resiliently yieldable horizontal metal bar fixed to the sides of said spiles remote from said dock, brackets shiftably mounted on said metal bars, and bodily resiliently defiectible metal mooring arms carried by said brackets each including a vertically extending first section fixed to one of said brackets, a laterally extending intermediate second section and a laterally spaced resiliently yieldable third section substantially parallel to said first section for coupling engagement with a coupling member of said boats.

9. In apparatus for mooring a boat at a dock, a mooring member including means for attachment to a stationary structure in close proximity to said dock including a spring metal arm element comprising a substantially U shaped bodily resiliently deflectible metal bar having one end of one vertical side portion mounted on and fixed against movement relative to said stationary structure and having its other vertical side portion free for accommodating resilient deflection of a substantial part of its length in horizontal directions.

10. In apparatus for mooring a boat at a dock, a mooring member including a bracket having upper and lower socket elements and provided with clamping members for mounting it on a support adjacent a dock, a substantially U shaped spring metal arm element having a first vertically extending side portion seated in passages in said socket elements and having a second latterally spaced vertically extending side portion free for accommodating deflection of the main portion of its length in horizontal directions, and means coacting between said first side portion of said U shaped arm and one of said socket elements for holding said first side portion of said arm against movement relative to said dock and against turning in either direction and retaining said 8 second side portion of said arm in a selected position relative to said bracket and dock.

11. In apparatus for mooring a boat at a clock, a mooring member including a bracket having upper and lower socket elements and provided with clamping members for mounting said bracket on a support adjacent a dock, an inverted substantially U shaped spring metal arm having a first vertically downwardly extending side portion seated in said socket elements and having a second laterally spaced downwardly extending side portion free for accommodating deflection of the main portion of its length in horizontal directions, coacting spline means in the lower end of said first side portion of said arm and said lower socket element for holding said arm against turning about the axis of said first side portion of said arm and for holding said second side portion of said arm in a selected position, and means on said first side portion of said arm for engaging said upper socket element to hold said arm against downward movement from a selected vertical location, said arm being shiftable upwardly to disengage the lower end of said first side portion of said arm from said lower socket element for accommodating turning of said arm about the axis of its first side portion to another selected position.

12. In apparatus for mooring a boat at a dock, a mooring member including a bracket having upper and lower socket elements and provided with clamping members for mounting said bracket on a support adjacent a dock, an upright substantially U shaped spring metal arm having a first vertically upwardly extending side portion seated in said socket elements and having a second laterally spaced upwardly extending side portion free for accommodating resilient deflections in horizontal directions, coacting spline means on the upper end of said first side portion of said arm and said upper socket ele ment for holding said arm against turning about the axis of its said first side portion and for retaining said second side portion of said arm in a selected position, means on the upper end of said first side portion of said arm for limiting downward movement of said arm, said coacting spline means of said arm and socket element being disengageable by upward movement of said arm to accommodate rotative shifting of said arm to bring its said side portion into a different selected position.

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